What we do

The Co-ordinator carries out projects that include assistance in strengthening legislation; conducting training courses; organizing seminars, conferences and study visits; and giving advice on improving the performance of state authorities, government agencies and civil society organizations.

Key activities are to improve travel document security and support the government in the fight against drug trafficking. To this end, the Co-ordinator runs expert workshops on such issues as biometric passport systems and machine-readable travel documents, gives technical support to the National Centre for Drug Control, and holds training courses for the Centre’s staff on effective techniques to curb trafficking.

The Co-ordinator focuses on capacity-building for Uzbekistan’s interagency anti-trafficking commissions and other governmental agencies, and on running training courses for women’s rights groups and the National Federation of Trade Unions to empower groups that are at risk of becoming victims of trafficking. Other activities include awareness-raising projects and workshops for law enforcement officials and non-governmental organizations on how to better ensure the rights of trafficked persons.

The Project Co-ordinator assists Uzbekistan’s government with the development of a national action plan to counter the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their spread to terrorist organizations. Efforts are also made to strengthen travel document security by upgrading the security features of passports and issuance systems to prevent the cross-border movement of terrorists and other criminals. The Project Co-ordinator works with the National Financial Intelligence Unit to combat money laundering and terrorism financing, including its linkages with illegal economic activities.

To stimulate Uzbekistan’s rural economy and strengthen social stability, the Co-ordinator works with such organizations as the Farmers Council and the Business Women Association, organizing training for farmers and owners of small- and medium-sized businesses. Other projects focus on the amendment of the country’s land code and the preparation of guidelines to improve the structures and management of large state companies.

Main areas of activity are to help develop a renewable energy policy for Uzbekistan; monitor the pollution levels in the regional river system of the Syr-Darya; and raise awareness for disaster preparedness measures. The Co-ordinator works with the State Nature Protection Committee on water quality initiatives, and organizes training for state institutions on how to better prevent and respond to emergency situations.

The Project Co-ordinator works with the Prosecutor General’s office, the Central Bank and several commercial banks to curb money laundering and terrorism financing. To fight against corruption, the Co-ordinator works with key state authorities on a national action plan and a number of awareness-raising activities. By training economic court judges and anti-monopoly authorities, the Co-ordinator also helps with the reduction of monopolies in Uzbekistan’s economy.

In co-operation with the country’s parliamentary Ombudsperson and the National Human Rights Centre, the Co-ordinator assists Uzbekistan in implementing its human rights commitments. This entails capacity-building training for the Ombudsperson institution’s staff and a project to strengthen the skill set of the Human Rights Centre’s staff in the use of international human rights norms and standards. The Co-ordinator also organizes training for personnel at penitentiary facilities and supports the Human Rights Resource Centre, a teaching facility at the Interior Ministry Academy.

Projects in this area focus on improving the quality of radio and television broadcasts; strengthening the professional skills of press information staff working for government agencies and civil society organizations; developing media reporting on environmental and sustainable development themes; and training civil society members on advanced communication strategies, the legal framework, and effective interaction with state institutions.

The Project Co-ordinator assists the Police Academy with its training and professional development programme through international exchange visits, upgrading of the Academy’s facilities, and bringing in international expertise into the training curricula. The Co-ordinator also organizes training courses on such issues as human rights theory, the rights of juveniles, or the United Nations Convention against Corruption for staff of the Interior Ministry’s Human Rights Protection and Legal Provision Department.

Judicial and legal reforms, as well as modernizing the education of legal practitioners, are at the core of the Co-ordinator’s rule of law-related activities in Uzbekistan. Working with local and international partners, the Co-ordinator runs training seminars for judges, defence lawyers, law teachers, and legal services of the state authorities on issues that include judicial ethics; e-justice; international fair trial standards; and good practices for the selection and appointment of judges.